1. Field of Invention
The present invention is generally related to an apparatus having cutter elements for destroying documents such as paper sheets. In particular, the apparatus includes a cutting mechanism having a rotary blade.
2. Background
A common type of shredder has a shredder mechanism contained within a housing that is mounted atop a container. The shredder mechanism typically includes a series of cutter elements that shred articles such as paper that are fed therein and discharge the shredded articles downwardly into the container. An example of such a shredder may be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,040,559 and 7,798,435.
A shredder typically has two cutter elements disposed in an interleaving relationship with each other. The cutter elements, along with reduction gears and strippers, are arranged to cut or tear paper. Although using these components to shred paper may be effective, these components may be costly and may require constant maintenance and replacement of parts. For example, the moving components, such as the gears and the cutter elements, may be prone to stress, wear, and failure due to frequent use.
The present invention endeavors to provide various improvements over known shredders.